[sic] of the day: earmarks

[Wilson Gray]

Thank you for the information, Joel.

-Wilson

On 8/11/06, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> Subject:      Re: [sic] of the day: earmarks
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> While I do not recall a source--secondary or primary--referring to
> the process as "earmarking", cropping of ears (removal of part or
> whole, or slitting) was a common criminal punishment in the 18th
> century.  The first source I put my hands on is David Copeland's
> _Colonial American Newspapers_, page 94.  Or Google for <ear cropping
> punishment colonial>.  Or Wikipedia's article "Docking (animals)" but
> look for "judicial physical punishment".
>
> Joel
>
> At 8/11/2006 11:20 PM, you wrote:
> >So, convicts were once earmarked? I've always associated the term with
> >the notching of the ears of swine for purposes of identification.
> >
> >-Wilson
> >
> >On 8/11/06, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:
> >>---------------------- Information from the mail header
> >>-----------------------
> >>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> >>Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> >>Subject:      Re: [sic] of the day: earmarks
> >>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >>
> >>Yes, me too, which I didn't say in my other posting.
> >>
> >>Joel
> >>
> >>At 8/11/2006 09:39 AM, you wrote:
> >> >Since the start of this thread I've noticed
> >> >"earmarks/hallmarks/markings of al-Qaeda" all used. "Earmarks" is
> >> >the term I'd probably use.
> >> >
> >> >Gerald Cohen
> >> >
> >> >________________________________
> >> >
> >> >Original message:
> >> >
> >> >Chris Waigl quoted from the Guardian:
> >> >
> >> > > FBI director Robert Mueller says: "This had the earmarks [sic] of an
> >> > > al-Qaida plot"
> >> >
> >> >My paper copy of today's Guardian hasn't yet arrived but when it does I'll
> >> >check if it's there. If I'd read "earmarks" unwarned, I would certainly
> >> >have marked it: the usage would look to me like an error for "hallmark".
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >--
> >> >Michael Quinion
> >> >Editor, World Wide Words
> >> >E-mail: wordseditor at worldwidewords.org
> >> >Web: http://www.worldwidewords.org
> >> >
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--
Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have
found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be
imposed upon them.

Frederick Douglass

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